It was a nest of robbers, and my men had just exhibited so pleasantly their attachment to me, and their fidelity! There was no European beyond Gondokoro, thus I should be the only white man among this colony of wolves; and I had in perspective a difficult and uncertain path, where the only chance of success lay in the complete discipline of my escort and the perfect organization of the expedition.

After the scene just enacted I felt sure that my escort would give me more cause for anxiety than the acknowledged hostility of the natives.
I had been waiting at Gondokoro twelve days, expecting the arrival of Debono's party from the south, with whom I wished to return.

Suddenly, on the 15th of February, I heard the rattle of musketry at a great distance and a dropping fire from the south.

To give an idea of the moment I must extract verbatim from my journal as written at the time.
"Guns firing in the distance; Debono's ivory porters arriving, for whom I have waited.

My men rushed madly to my boat, with the report that two white men were with them who had come from the SEA! Could they be Speke and Grant?
Off I ran, and soon met them in reality.